APPLICATION 2014 302-655-7338 www.thelatincenter.org
ABOUT THE PROGRAM NOMINATIONS DUE BY: FEBRUARY 14, 2014 DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION ONLINE AT: www.thelatincenter.org The (HSRP) is an effort by the Latin American Community Center (LACC) to recognize and acknowledge exceptional Hispanic students in both middle and high school in the state of Delaware. The program has been a signature event since 1979 and maintains strong school, community and private sector support. The goal of the program is to open doors for Hispanic students to pursue greater opportunities, inspire pride in our people and our heritage, motivate students to work hard and motivate their families to support them. All nominees attending the awards ceremony will be recognized and honored with a commemorative medal. All award recipients will receive a special award medal and a cash prize. In addition to these prizes, the outstanding students of the year will receive a special plaque. ELIGIBILITY Hispanic middle and high school students from any public or private school can apply for achievement awards. Nominees must be Delaware residents (i.e., primary residence must have a Delaware address). Nominees must be of Hispanic origin, defined as those persons who have at least one parent of Hispanic/ Latino heritage. INSTRUCTIONS FOR NOMINATIONS Nominations do NOT have to come from teachers; we accept nominations from teachers, coaches, family, community organizations, employers, mentors and any adults familiar with the student. A successful nomination packet requires the completion of two parts: PART 1: A successful application features a deep, strong and personal narrative advocating for the student s selection. A well crafted narrative is as specific as possible, provides actual examples of student s academic achievements, awards and certificates, extracurricular activities, community service, personal qualities and character, and highlight the nominee s creativity or talent, demonstrated leadership abilities and articulates the personal barriers overcome by the student. Please type your essay (in English or Spanish) and attach it to the application. PART 2: Complete all the requested information and include photocopies of the required documents (such as transcripts, SAT & PSAT scores, awards, etc.). SELECTION PROCESS High school students compete by county for awards in five categories: academic excellence, community service/volunteerism, athletics, the arts, and science/technology/engineering/math (STEM). Two state-wide high school students are selected as Outstanding High School Hispanic Students of the Year. Two state-wide middle school students are selected as Outstanding Middle School Hispanic Students of the Year. The HSRP selection committee evaluates and rates each application on its merit and submits the candidate s documentation to the selection committee for review. This committee is comprised of community leaders and educators from both the public and private sectors. The selection of the awardees will be done by the selection committee and will be announced at the awards ceremony. The ceremony is open to the public but reservations are required. Winners must be present at awards ceremony to receive cash prize. 302-655-7338 2 www.thelatincenter.org
AWARD CATEGORIES The following awards are given PER COUNTY and are for High School Students only: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: The Academic Award is bestowed upon a student who has demonstrated the highest level of academic performance (minimum 3.5 cumulative unweighted GPA required). Rating is based on their academic honors/awards, number of advance placement classes, SAT scores, advance placement grades, personal statement and a short essay. SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING/MATH (STEM): The STEM Award is bestowed upon a high school student who has distinguished himself or herself in a STEM field by demonstrating mastery over related subjects (e.g. biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science, audiovisual science/technology, information systems). Rating is based on academic performance in related courses, honors/awards, science/technology projects*, notable accomplishments, personal statement and a short essay. SCHOOL / COMMUNITY SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM: The School/Community Service award is bestowed upon a student who has demonstrated consistent and ongoing involvement in community/school service. Rating is based on the type of community service, meaning of community service, service hours (must provide documentation for hours completed), service awards, length of time serving the community, personal statement and a short essay. + ATHLETICS: The Athletic award is bestowed upon a high school athlete whose achievements on and off the field exemplify the best qualities of sportsmanship. Rating is based on team player attitude, leadership, awards received for their contributions (must provide documentation of awards), personal statement and a short essay. + THE ARTS: The Arts award is bestowed upon a student who has distinguished herself or himself in the visual arts, music, dance, poetry, and/or theater. Rating is based on honors/awards, creativity, talent, submissions*, personal statement and a short essay.+ The Outstanding Hispanic Student of the Year Award is given STATEWIDE to Middle and High School Students: OUTSTANDING HISPANIC STUDENT OF THE YEAR: This award is presented to two high school students and two middle school students who have achieved academic excellence (minimum 3.5 cumulative unweighted GPA required) and are well rounded in all award categories while also demonstrating strong leadership qualities, initiative, pride in heritage, creativity and talent. Students are further evaluated on a short essay response and personal statements. * Must provide samples; refer to p. 6 and 7 for submission instructions. + Categories that are not explicitly rated on academic achievement can still benefit from including documentation of academic honors or awards as it will contribute to the overall application as a whole. 302-655-7338 3 www.thelatincenter.org
PERSONAL STATEMENT All applicants, regardless of nomination category, are required to answer the following question in essay form: In Delaware, only 66% of Latinos who enter 9th grade graduate from high school on time. Only 21% move on to college immediately after graduating, and only 14% move on to a second year of college (Harvard University, 2013). Similar trends happen around the United States; only 12% of Latinos in their mid to late 20s around the U.S. have a bachelor s degree or higher (ASCD, 2010). For your personal statement, write about how you would fix this Latino Education Crisis. If you do not think it could be fixed right now, what would need to change before it could be fixed? Maximum word count of 1,000 words. Pay close attention to both content and word count when writing your essay. For best results, type your essay in your choice of text editor (example: Microsoft Word ) and include it with your application. SHORT ESSAYS Each applicant is required to submit a short essay for each category for which they are applying. Maximum word count of 500 words. Pay close attention to both content and word count when writing your essay. For best results, type your essay in your choice of text editor (example: Microsoft Word ) and include it with your application. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/ Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so how have you overcome those struggles to achieve academic success? If not, how has your heritage influenced your path to academic success? SCHOOL/COMMUNITY SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/ Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so how have you overcome those struggles to keep your commitment to school/ community service? If not, how has your heritage influenced your passion for school/community service? ATHLETICS: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/ Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so how have you overcome those struggles to achieve athletic success? If not, how has your heritage influenced your path to athletic success? THE ARTS: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/ Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so how have you overcome those struggles to achieve success in the arts? If not, how has your heritage influenced your passion for the arts? STEM: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/ Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so how have you overcome those struggles to achieve success in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math? If not, how has your heritage influenced your path toward success in a STEM field? OUTSTANDING HISPANIC STUDENT OF THE YEAR: Please answer the following question in essay form: Has your Hispanic/Latino heritage presented obstacles in your life, and if so, how you have overcome those struggles to demonstrate the qualities of the Outstanding Hispanic Student of the Year? If not, how has your heritage contributed to your demonstration of the qualities of the Outstanding Hispanic Student of the Year? 302-655-7338 4 www.thelatincenter.org
NOMINATOR INFORMATION NAME TITLE ACADEMIC INFORMATION SCHOOL LEVEL (CHECK ONE): HIGH SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL/ORG./CORP. EMAIL PHONE (CELL) (ALTERNATE) ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP NOMINEE INFORMATION NAME SCHOOL GRADE SCHOOL DISTRICT COUNTY (CHECK ONE): NEW CASTLE KENT SUSSEX TOTAL # OF YEARS IN SCHOOL IN THE USA AWARD CATEGORIES SELECT ALL THAT APPLY (HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY): *there is a short essay required for each category selected ACADEMICS ATHLETICS SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY EMAIL ARTS COMMUNITY SERVICE/VOLUNTEERISM PHONE (CELL) (ALTERNATE) ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP DATE OF BIRTH ETHNICITY/NATIONALITY PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME PHONE EMAIL OUTSTANDING HISPANIC STUDENT OF THE YEAR: HIGH SCHOOL TERMS AND CONDITIONS MIDDLE SCHOOL All of the information that I have provided in this application and in the enclosed letters is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand and acknowledge that providing false or misleading information in any aspect of this application or any enclosed letters may lead to the rescinding of any award that I may have received. (If you are under 18, your parent or guardian must also agree to these Terms and Conditions). Applicant Signature Parent/Guardian Signature 302-655-7338 5 www.thelatincenter.org
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS All documentation must accompany applications by the closing date. Application must be postmarked no later than February 14, 2014. *INSTRUCTIONS FOR VIDEO, RECORDING, PHOTO, PROJECT, AND/OR PORTFOLIO SUBMISSIONS Please submit your videos, recordings, photos, projects, and/or portfolios as an email attachment to HSRP@thelatincenter.org in JPG or PDF format. You may also submit your videos via YouTube link, with the link emailed to HSRP@thelatincenter.org. Please note all videos, recordings, photos and/or portfolios submitted become the property of the Latin American Community Center (LACC). The LACC reserves the right to use these submissions in any form, including but not limited to the agency website, agency publications and during the ceremony. RESUME: Please include a resume listing your academic achievements. Honors received should include trophies, plaques, and certificates. Activities should include extracurricular activities, community volunteer service hours and any employment. SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION EMAIL- Complete the nomination application form, save the file, attach it and e-mail it to: HSRP@thelatincenter.org MAIL OR IN-PERSON- Complete the nomination application form and submit along with pertinent documents (narrative, transcripts, etc.) to: HSRP LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER 403 NORTH VAN BUREN STREET WILMINGTON, DE 19805 ALL APPLICATIONS WILL BE SHREDDED AT END OF SELECTION PROCESS. HOWEVER, ALL OF THE STUDENTS DEMOGRAPHICS AND CONTACT INFORMATION WILL BE SAVED BY THE LACC. THIS WILL ENABLE US TO UPDATE THE STUDENTS INFORMATION ON A YEARLY BASIS AND FOLLOW-UP WITH SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. 302-655-7338 6 www.thelatincenter.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What if I only have one Hispanic/Latino parent and only one of their parents is Hispanic/Latino? Can I still apply? It does not matter how much of your family is made up of people who identify as Hispanic/Latino. We ask that at least one parent be of Hispanic heritage, but what is important is that you are able to relate to Hispanic/Latino culture. You will have to write essays about how this culture has impacted your life so far, so as long as you are able to write coherently about those topics, you are eligible to apply. Do I have to get a teacher or someone from my school to write the nomination letter or a letter of recommendation? No. Any adult who knows you can write the nomination letter. If you would like additional recommendation letters from people at school, that is up to you, but it is not required. What submissions or supporting documents are required? In addition to the requirements for all categories (essay, personal statement, resume, report cards, transcripts, etc), the following categories require additional submissions: Art - At least one submission of your art is required (can be a picture of a piece you have done if you do not want to turn in the real item). STEM - At least one submission of something related to science, technology, engineering, or math is required. Examples of previous submissions include: science projects, Computer Aided Design (CAD) architectural drawings, and awards in these fields. Community Service - Documentation of your service hours is required. This can be submitted in the forms of letters, certificates, etc. Athletics - Documentation of some sort is required. Examples of previous submissions include: certificates of participation or accolades and letters of recommendation from coaches. When will I find out if I won? Winners will not be announced until the ceremony, which will take place on April 5, 2014 at John Dickinson High School ( 1801 Milltown Rd Wilmington, DE 19808 ). If you win, you must be present to receive your award. How many categories can I apply for? You can apply for as many categories as you want. However, you must make sure you include all essays, submissions, and supporting documents for each category. You will only be considered for categories that have all requirements met. How can I get more information? You can attend the LACC s College Application, Scholarship, and Resume Boot Camp. This event is being held from 6:00 7:30 p.m. November 4-8, 2013. During this time you can ask questions about HSRP and community members can assist you in writing the essays. We will also be visiting some schools during their lunch periods that have historically nominated many students for HSRP. You can also contact the following LACC staff with questions: For questions about the application process: For questions about the ceremony or to RSVP: Sarah Hutton Sindy Rodriguez 302-655-7338 302-655-7338 shutton@thelatincenter.org srodriguez@thelatincenter.org 302-655-7338 7 www.thelatincenter.org
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS CHECKLIST Recommendation Letter(s) Personal Statement (nominee s narrative) Short Essay(s) (per award category high school only) Report Card (most current) Cumulative unweighted GPA (for all completed grades) Class Rank SAT Scores, or PSAT Scores (if applicable) AP Class Listing and Scores (if applicable) Honors Class listing (if applicable) Documentation of community service hours (if applicable) Video, recording, photo, project, and/or portfolio submissions (view pages 6 and 7 for details) Resume HSRP TIMELINE 2013-2014 End of October, 2013: Application is released. Any adult who knows you can nominate you. November 4-8, 2013: Application, Scholarship, and Resume Boot Camp held at the LACC from 6:00 7:30 P.M. each night. LACC Staff will be available to answer questions about HSRP, and community members will be available to help you write essays. November and December, 2013: HSRP Committee Members will be visiting some schools during their lunch periods to give out more information about the program. Keep an eye out at school lunches we may be visiting you! February 14, 2014: Application is DUE. Application can be e-mailed to hsrp@thelatincenter.org or mailed to: HSRP LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER 403 NORTH VAN BUREN STREET WILMINGTON, DE 19805 April 5, 2014: HSRP Ceremony will take place at John Dickinson High School: 1801 Milltown Rd Wilmington, DE 19808. Winners must be present to receive award. 302-655-7338 8 www.thelatincenter.org